Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Tonight we went over to Madison Square Park for a Mad. Sq. Music concert with the wonderful Suzzy and Maggie Roach, Sloan Wainwright, and Lucy Wainright Roche and got to hear some old favorites and a few new ones from these incomparable performers.

As Sloan Wainwright, with her long-time accompanist, guitarist Stephen Murphy, noted, after a day of heavy rain it seemed a miracle they were able to proceed with this magical show, though at one point our umbrellas came out for a while.

With just one more summer concert left in the Oval Lawn series, the rain stopped just in time for our family extravaganza with the Roche and Wainwright family. Just before the concert, Debbie Landau, President of Madison Square Park Conservancy, honored one of our great supporters, Leslie Spira Lopez from Kew Management for all her years of supporting the preservation and enrichment of the park.

She performed songs off her latest album, including her rendition of “Ring of Fire,” enrapturing the audience with her passionate voice. Then the Roche Sisters, Maggie and Suzzy, along with Lucy Wainwright Roche took the stage with their quirky and playful lyrics.

The trio sang beautiful harmonies throughout the night that captured the hearts of many listening. This family of very talented musical artists brought a special show to the park. . .

We all joined in on a singalong at one point.

We discovered the Roches when, oh, let's just say it was a long time ago. And they're still as good as ever, especially in person, as is Sloan Wainwright, who also is someone you'd love to be friends with.

And we had a surprise guest, though given the family connection, we shouldn't have been that surprised. The legendary Loudon Wainwright - whom we last saw live at Brooklyn College nearly forty years ago -- came up to join daughter Lucy on "Love Hurts."
It was a great night for remembering the past and enjoying the present.

We're grateful the rain held off (mostly) and we were able to be in Madison Square Park tonight.